South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917
floor is swept, and the ordinary work of the day is commenced. At 1
p.m. we have what we call ‘a counter lunch,’ that is, cold food and
cocoa. We work from 2 p.m. till 5 p.m. After 5 p.m. people can do what
they like. Dinner is at 7. The men play games, read, write up diaries.
We turn in early, since we have to economize fuel and light.
Night-watches are kept by the scientific men, who have the privilege of
turning in during the day. The day after my arrival here I gave an
outline of our situation and explained the necessity for economy in the
use of fuel, light, and stores, in view of the possibility that we may
have to stay here for two years.... We are not going to commence work
for the sledging operations until we know more definitely the fate of
the _Aurora_. I dare not think any disaster has occurred.”
During the remaining days of June the men washed and mended clothes,
killed seals, made minor excursions in the neighbourhood of the hut,
and discussed plans for the future. They had six dogs, two being
bitches without experience of sledging. One of these bitches had given
birth to a litter of pups, but she proved a poor mother and the young
ones died. The animals had plenty of seal meat and were tended
carefully.
Mackintosh called a meeting of all hands on June 26 for the discussion
of the plans he had made for the depot-laying expedition to be
undertaken during the following spring and summer.
“I gave an outline of the position and invited discussion from the
members. Several points were brought up. I had suggested that one of
our party should remain behind for the purpose of keeping the
meteorological records and laying in a supply of meat and blubber. This
man would be able to hand my instructions to the ship and pilot a party
to the Bluff. It had been arranged that Richards should do this.
Several objected on the ground that the whole complement would be
necessary, and, after the matter had been put to the vote, it was
agreed that we should delay the decision until the parties had some
practical work and we had seen how they fared. The shortage of clothing
was discussed, and Joyce and Wild have agreed to do their best in this
matter. October sledging (on the Barrier) was mentioned as being too
early, but is to be given a trial. These were the most important points
brought up, and it was mutually and unanimously agreed that we could do
no more.... I know we are doing our best.”
The party was anxious to visit Cape Royds, north of Cape Evans, but at
the end of June open water remained right across the Sound and a
crossing was impossible. At Cape Royds is the hut used by the
Shackleton Expedition of 1907–1909, and the stores and supplies it
contains might have proved very useful. Joyce and Wild made finneskoe
(fur boots) from spare sleeping-bags. Mackintosh mentions that the
necessity of economizing clothing and footgear prevented the men taking
as much exercise as they would otherwise have done. A fair supply of
canvas and leather had been found in the hut, and some men tried their
hands at making shoes. Many seals had been killed and brought in, and
the supply of meat and blubber was ample for present needs.
During July Mackintosh made several trips northwards on the sea-ice,
but found always that he could not get far. A crack stretched roughly
from Inaccessible Island to the Barne Glacier, and the ice beyond
looked weak and loose. The improving light told of the returning sun.
Richards and Jack were weighing out stores in readiness for the
sledging expeditions. Mackintosh, from the hill behind the hut, saw
open water stretching westward from Inaccessible Island on August 1,
and noted that probably McMurdo Sound was never completely frozen over.
A week later the extent of the open water appeared to have increased,
and the men began to despair of getting to Cape Royds. Blizzards were
frequent and persistent. A few useful articles were found in the
neighbourhood of the hut as the light improved, including some
discarded socks and underwear, left by members of the Scott Expedition,
and a case of candied peel, which was used for cakes. A small fire
broke out in the hut on August 12. The acetylene-gas lighting plant
installed in the hut by Captain Scott had been rigged, and one day it
developed a leak. A member of the party searched for the leak with a
lighted candle, and the explosion that resulted fired some woodwork.
Fortunately the outbreak was extinguished quickly. The loss of the hut
at this stage would have been a tragic incident.
Mackintosh and Stevens paid a visit to Cape Royds on August 13. They
had decided to attempt the journey over the Barne Glacier, and after
crossing a crevassed area they got to the slopes of Cape Barne and
thence down to the sea-ice. They found this ice to be newly formed, but
sufficiently strong for their purpose, and soon reached the Cape Royds
hut.
“The outer door of the hut we found to be off,” wrote Mackintosh. “A
little snow had drifted into the porch, but with a shovel, which we
found outside, this was soon cleared away. We then entered, and in the
centre of the hut found a pile of snow and ice, which had come through
the open ventilator in the roof of the hut. We soon closed this.
Stevens prepared a meal while I cleared the ice and snow away from the
middle of the hut. After our meal we commenced taking an inventory of
the stores inside. Tobacco was our first thought. Of this we found one
tin of Navy Cut and a box of cigars. Soap, too, which now ensures us a
wash and clean clothes when we get back. We then began to look round
for a sleeping-bag. No bags were here, however, but on the improvised
beds of cases we found two mattresses, an old canvas screen, and two
blankets. We took it in turns to turn in. Stevens started first, while
I kept the fire going. No coal or blubber was here, so we had to use
wood, which, while keeping the person alongside it warm, did not raise
the temperature of the hut over freezing-point. Over the stove in a
conspicuous place we found a notice by Scott’s party that parties using
the hut should leave the dishes clean.”
Mackintosh and Stevens stayed at the Cape Royds hut over the next day
and made a thorough examination of the stores there. They found outside
the hut a pile of cases containing meats, flour, dried vegetables, and
sundries, at least a year’s supply for a party of six. They found no
new clothing, but made a collection of worn garments, which could be
mended and made serviceable. Carrying loads of their spoils, they set
out for Cape Evans on the morning of August 15 across the sea-ice. Very
weak ice barred the way and they had to travel round the coast. They
got back to Cape Evans in two hours. During their absence Wild and Gaze
had climbed Inaccessible Island, Gaze having an ear badly frost-bitten
on the journey. The tobacco was divided among the members of the party.
A blizzard was raging the next day, and Mackintosh congratulated
himself on having chosen the time for his trip fortunately.
The record of the remaining part of August is not eventful. All hands
were making preparations for the sledging, and were rejoicing in the
increasing daylight. The party tried the special sledging ration
prepared under my own direction, and “all agreed it was excellent both
in bulk and taste.” Three emperor penguins, the first seen since the
landing, were caught on August 19. By that time the returning sun was
touching with gold the peaks of the Western Mountains and throwing into
bold relief the massive form of Erebus. The volcano was emitting a
great deal of smoke, and the glow of its internal fires showed
occasionally against the smoke-clouds above the crater. Stevens,
Spencer-Smith, and Cope went to Cape Royds on the 20th, and were still
there when the sun made its first appearance over Erebus on the 26th.
Preceding days had been cloudy, and the sun, although above the
horizon, had not been visible.
“The morning broke clear and fine,” wrote Mackintosh. “Over Erebus the
sun’s rays peeped through the massed cumulus and produced the most
gorgeous cloud effects. The light made us all blink and at the same
time caused the greatest exuberance of spirits. We felt like men
released from prison. I stood outside the hut and looked at the truly
wonderful scenery all round. The West Mountains were superb in their
wild grandeur. The whole outline of peaks, some eighty or ninety
distant, showed up, stencilled in delicate contrast to the sky-line.
The immense ice-slopes shone white as alabaster against dark shadows.
The sky to the west over the mountains was clear, except for low-lying
banks at the foot of the slopes round about Mount Discovery. To the
south hard streaks of stratus lay heaped up to 30 degrees above the
horizon.... Then Erebus commenced to emit volumes of smoke, which rose
hundreds of feet and trailed away in a north-westerly direction. The
southern slopes of Erebus were enveloped in a mass of cloud.” The party
from Cape Royds returned that afternoon, and there was disappointment
at their report that no more tobacco had been found.
The sledging of stores to Hut Point, in preparation for the
depot-laying journeys on the Barrier, was to begin on September 1.
Mackintosh, before that date, had discussed plans fully with the
members of his party. He considered that sufficient sledging provisions
were available at Cape Evans, the supply landed from the ship being
supplemented by the stores left by the Scott Expedition of 1912–13 and
the Shackleton Expedition of 1907–09. The supply of clothing and tents
was more difficult. Garments brought from the ship could be
supplemented by old clothing found at Hut Point and Cape Evans. The
Burberry wind-proof outer garments were old and in poor order for the
start of a season’s sledging. Old sleeping-bags had been cut up to make
finneskoe (fur boots) and mend other sleeping-bags. Three tents were
available, one sound one landed from the _Aurora_, and two old ones
left by Captain Scott. Mackintosh had enough sledges, but the
experience of the first journey with the dogs had been unfortunate, and
there were now only four useful dogs left. They did not make a full
team and would have to be used merely as an auxiliary to man-haulage.
The scheme adopted by Mackintosh, after discussion with the members of
his party, was that nine men, divided into three parties of three each,
should undertake the sledging. One man would be left at Cape Evans to
continue the meteorological observations during the summer. The
motor-tractor, which had been left at Hut Point, was to be brought to
Cape Evans and, if possible, put into working order. Mackintosh
estimated that the provisions required for the consumption of the depot
parties, and for the depots to be placed southward to the foot of the
Beardmore Glacier, would amount to 4000 lbs. The first depot was to be
placed off Minna Bluff, and from there southward a depot was to be
placed on each degree of latitude. The final depot would be made at the
foot of the Beardmore Glacier. The initial task would be the haulage of
stores from Cape Evans to Hut Point, a distance of 13 miles. All the
sledging stores had to be taken across, and Mackintosh proposed to
place additional supplies there in case a party, returning late from
the Barrier, had to spend winter months at Hut Point.
The first party, consisting of Mackintosh, Richards, and Spencer-Smith,
left Cape Evans on September 1 with 600 lbs. of stores on one sledge,
and had an uneventful journey to Hut Point. They pitched a tent
half-way across the bay, on the sea-ice, and left it there for the use
of the various parties during the month. At Hut Point they cleared the